Struggling with the spinning plates

[TheTwirlyPoos]

I'm embarrassed, i gave up my job in September. My eldest is 5 and started school then and my youngest is 3. She now does three days at preschool.

I'm a school governor and have been given three big areas as well as a separate project. I'm in a play. We have an 8 month old puppy. My parents are very ill. I've had a friendship which has become very intense and I have become somehow the sounding board for their marriage problems.

I feel like I'm drowning. I shouldn't be. I have more free time than I ever have in my life. But the playdates, the clubs, the birthday parties, the meetings, the cleaning, the walking. I feel like I'm constantly fucking up.

I came off citalopram two months ago. I really don't want to go back on it but I'm really teary today, the kutchen electrics died and it pushed me over the edge.

That's a LOT on your plate alongside being mum and running the house. I've always found it easier to go to work than be a SAHP with too many social commitments.

@SoftPillowAllNight thank you. I think I've lost focus of what is a reasonable amount to manage? For now I love being at home to be there for them, pick up from school etc, but I'm feeling very fragile atm

It’s ok to drop some plates, prioritise the ones which need to keep spinning and let the others fall if needed.

you can’t do everything for everyone all of the time.

what is the withdrawal timeframe for citalopram? I came of sertraline last year and still had some side effects weeks after the final dose - this was the drugs still working their way through my system. You sound like you have an awful lot on anyway, but they might be another reason why you need to be gentle on yourself for a while

Sorry for typos!

I hadn't even considered withdrawal. I'll have a look, thanks xx

I came off citalopram last year-around the 6-8 week mark I felt absolutely awful, so tearful, like managing the basics was a Herculean effort-I was so so close to going back on-very glad I didn’t in the end, but honestly took 10-12 weeks until I felt there were no lingering side effects. Can you give yourself some breathing space for a few more weeks and see if it settles? I cancelled some play dates around this time as well, just for the headspace.

I think I'm probably abiut six weeks off them, that's really interesting. Thanks. I'll do as you suggest!